Caitlyn Jenner Transgender Challenges: Low Show Ratings, Discrimination, And More

Caitlyn Jenner became one of the most talked about subjects in the media this year after she decided to transition into a woman. Of course, this sent shock-waves across the world as many applauded the bravery of coming out in public with it. However, not all sections of society saw this as a positive, as the transgender community is one of the most segregated in society.

For example, many saw it as unbelievable that she was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award earlier this year, with one of the most outspoken individuals on this being D. L. Hughley. According to the comedian, she got the award simply because she put on a dress. The following was his exact statement, according to the Grio.

“I think that it’s named after Arthur Ashe. Arthur Ashe from Richmond, Virginia, a symbol of courage. He fought [a] segregated South, a very segregated profession, he fought AIDS with dignity and honor, and Caitlyn Jenner put on a dress. I don’t think it’s the same thing.”

He also took issue with the media for painting female athletes, such as Serena Williams, as “masculine,” but Caitlyn Jenner as “beautiful.” The following was his description.

“That was a little weird to me. The man looks like a woman, but the woman looks like a man. That’s ridiculous. Serena Williams is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen on a tennis court, and Bruce Jenner [sic] looks like every PE teacher I ever had.”

That said, the buzz Caitlyn Jenner created as a result of her transition led her becoming one of the most searched people in 2015. Currently an advocate for problems facing transgender people, her daily life is documented through her blog and reality show. Speaking of the show, it has been said to currently have low ratings. According to the Mirror, it was expected to be the biggest of its kind this year, but faltered soon after the first few episodes.

The fifth episode of the series is said to have drawn only about 1.02 million viewers in the United States. This is a far cry from the eight million that tuned in to watch Caitlyn receiving her Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY Awards, and the 17 million viewers who watched ABC’s “Caitlyn Jenner: The Interview.” The second episode of I Am Cait had a disappointing 1.3 million viewers, while the first had about twice that.

However, the show is presently said to have been renewed for another season by E!. According to Jeff Olde from E!, “Caitlyn’s story has ignited a global conversation on the transgender community on a scale that has never been seen before. We are honoured Caitlyn has chosen to continue to share her ongoing story with our viewers around the world.” This is as reported by E! Online.

Viewers pointed to a lack of areas to relate to as the main reason why they didn’t like the show. Judging by the comments left on Radar by viewers when it first reported the low ratings, the show is bound to hit even rockier grounds. The following is a sample of a few of them.

“Just my opinion..
Anything is better than this show. I gave it a shot. Listening to ‘Cait’ complain about trivial problems (voice, clothes, makeup) & brag about her Versace bag/glasses was just gross. I’m all for people living a life they love…but this is a show about a narcissistic person that has no clue how good he/she has got it.”

“unpleasantfacts478
Interesting show idea: Have Bruce Jenner and his new boyfriends define ‘woman.’ Prepare for gibberish.”

“Melissa
“So does this mean that all of the rabid supporters of Jenner arent watching? They were quick to attack if anyone questioned the authenticity of the ‘transformation into an authentic self’.. ‘To live the truth’….yeah, all I hear are crickets.”

[Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Glamour]